Stevia Side Effects and Warnings

Stevia is widely known as a sweetener, it is commonly extracted from the
herbal plant. Some people prefer Stevia better than the normal granular
sugars because it is sweeter. Some use this sweetener as an aid for
weight loss also. The leaves are also used for medicinal purposes.

Just like anything Stevia does come with some side effects. Not all
will experience these side effects. A common effect found by people who
use this herb can experience bloating, nausea, dizziness, muscle pain,
and numbness. You could also experience an allergic reaction if you are
allergic to ragweed and other related plants.

If you are a diabetic Stevia could lower your sugar level and interfere
in your sugar levels. Constant sugar level test are required to make
sure sugar levels are stable.

Always ask a doctor before taking anything new if you are already on any prescriptions. Other people experience low blood pressure when taking Stevia.

Other studies show that possible infertility and cancer can be a risk when taking Stevia. Because of some of the side effects some may experience a decrease in your appetite. This should only be mild and temporary, if any of these symptoms worsen contact your doctor right away. Stevia side effects are not experienced by everyone that takes this supplement.

You can purchase this supplement in different forms, extract, powder, packets, chewing gum, and other products. FDA recently approved the use of Stevia declaring it safe to use in foods. Pregnant and women that are breastfeeding should not take this supplement. There is a compound called mutagenic that can cause cancer but this is not normal.

There is a lot of testing on Stevia side effects but the majority has been done on animals and not humans. So how does the FDA approve this supplement to be safe for humans if they will not test it on humans? It is used in several other countries in place of artificial sweeteners. Although having an artificial sweetener in your foods does not lead to Stevia side effects, these effects are not limited to what was already stated. Increase in sweetener can lead to tooth decay in adults in children. I would not recommend this for children and only for adults. Another sweetener that is used a lot commonly in sodas is called aspartame. More consumers recommend Stevia over aspartame overall.

The best thing about this sweetener is that it is zero calories, zero carbohydrates, and zero glycemic index. For using it as a weight loss aid it is commonly used in coffee, teas, cooking, and baking. It is also found in dietary supplements, protein drinks, energy bars, aromatherapy steam showers, and just about any tea. Through all the tests done on animals it is shown that there are no know toxicities found in Stevia. Before taking Stevia be sure to do more research into the herb and contact your doctor to get more information. Sometimes Stevia cannot be taken with certain medications due to them interfering with your current medications.